RESOURCE

IFWE to SCOTUS: HHS Violates Religious Freedom

IFWE
January 29, 2014

Two IFWE scholars, along with Rick Warren, Wayne Grudem, Bishop Harry Jackson, Ravi Zacharias and more than 30 leading Christian theologians and pastors, filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of Hobby Lobby Stores and Conestoga Wood Specialties. The brief states that the HHS mandate violates the First Amendment rights of Christians whose doctrine teaches that all work is sacred.

IFWE Executive Director Hugh Whelchel and Vice President of Theological Initiatives Rev. Dr. Art Lindsley were co-signers to the brief. “This case throws into sharp relief the problems that can arise when the Christian doctrine of work is not properly understood,” said Whelchel. “We as Christians cannot compartmentalize our faith from the work we do every day, whether we’re a pastor, a plumber, or business leader. The Bible teaches that all of life is integrated and matters to God. This fundamental doctrine needs to be preached more often in our churches as well as understood in our courts.”

The brief contains four main points:

Christian doctrine requires that faith govern every aspect of a Christian’s life.

Christian doctrine teaches that an individual’s vocation is ordained by God as a spiritual enterprise in which Christians must serve in accordance with their spiritual callings.

Christian doctrine states it is a sin for a Christian to enable or aid another in doing what the Christian believes to be sin.

Requiring a Christian to choose between violating the government’s regulations or violating his sincerely held religious beliefs substantially burdens his exercise of religion.